1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to marine vessel hulls and in particular to a hull design for reduction of bow waves.
2. Description of Related Art
When a marine vessel moves through water, it displaces the water and creates wake, or waves, which propagate outwards in a V-shape trailing from the vessel. The shape of the hull, and in particular the bow shape, corresponds to the vessel efficiency, which is related to the energy required to propel the vessel through the water, with a proportion of the energy dissipated as waves. By reducing the waves produced, efficiency can be increased, and therefore fuel consumption can be decreased.
In some jurisdictions, wake is not permitted as the waves can interfere with other marine operations, such as moorage facilities or locations where individuals are working at the water level, for example, on floats or logs. Additionally, wake may be discouraged in areas where shore erosion is a concern, as wave action contributes to such erosion. In these cases, vessels must decrease their speed to the slowest speed necessary to maintain maneuverability while eliminating waves.
Typically, the most common bow design of a single hull marine vessel is a narrow bow relative to the remainder of the hull, which effectively comes to a point at the leading edge. This shape of bow is typical of the individual hulls on multihull vessels, as well. All such bow designs generate wake at speed. One method to reduce such wake is to include a protruding bulb at the bow, which modifies the way the water flows around the hull. A disadvantage of a narrow bow is decreased cargo capacity at the leading edge of the vessel, which remains an issue with the bulbous bow, as well.